AIZAWL, Nov 10 - The oil palm mill at Bukvannei in northern Mizoram that started operation in 2014 has proved a boon for farmers in the area. The mill provides permanent occupation to more than 897 families.
�Currently, 800 oil palm cultivators are regularly supplying oil palm fruits to the mill. While the Godrej Agrovet Ltd, that owns the mill, employs about 200 locals in the collection centres, the oil palm farmers also employ about 1,500 people four to five days a week to pluck the oil palm fruits in their plantations,� an Agriculture department official said.
Besides these, about 60 trucks are employed to transport the oil palm fruits from the farm to mill. The mill can process five metric tonnes of oil palm fruits per hour. The factory employs 17 station staff and 20 field staff.
Oil palm cultivation is being carried out in seven districts � Aizawl, Kolasib, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Mamit, Serchhip and Saiha. Mizoram Government introduced oil palm cultivation in two districts, Kolasib and Lunglei, in 2005, under the Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPAM). Later, oil palm cultivation was expanded to three more districts � Mamit, Serchhip and Lawngtlai. The total area of palm cultivation in the five districts now cover 1,878 hectares.
With a special programme on oil palm area expansion under RKVY during 2011-12, Aizawl district was included in the Mizoram�s oil palm map. The State Government tied up with three leading edible oil companies who are planning to set up processing plants. As per the buy-back agreement, the companies have purchased oil palm at Rs 5.50 per kilogram, a rate fixed by the State Government.
With about USD 8.4 million worth oil palm imported into the country annually, India has prepared itself to compete in the global oil palm market. Mizoram is among the 12 States, and the only State in the North East, identified for oil palm cultivation, the official said. The Centre identified a total of 10.71 lakh hectares of land in the country for oil palm cultivation to meet the targetted demand of 21.3 million tonnes by 2015.
A Centrally sponsored scheme on 75:25 sharing between Central and State Governments, the oil palm development programme intends to cover approximately 62,000 hectares in Mizoram. Mamit district is the leading district in oil palm cultivation, covering an area of 3,026 sq kms, with nearly 4,500 farmers in 45 villages in the district taking up oil palm cultivation.
Under its oil palm expansion scheme, the Central Government had earmarked Rs 2.5 crore for setting up oil palm factories in Mizoram. Two other factories will be set up in Lunglei and Serchhip districts, at an estimated cost of Rs 650 lakh for each factory. In addition to the Central assistance, the companies were also expected to invest about Rs 4 crore each in the factories.
Oil palm cultivation is expected to boost rural economy, as well as solving unemployment problem among the youths. The soil in Mizoram with high moisture content and the moderate climatic condition are said to be highly suitable for oil palm cultivation.
